Over Gambling

Lawmakers In Alabama Contradictory Laws In State

Play Now at Rushmore Casino!

If lawmakers in the state of Alabama cannot come to a unified conclusion as to the legality of electronic gambling machines, then how do they expect people who are running businesses to know whether they are operating the machines legally?

This is the question that is weighing on many people’s minds in Alabama. The governor of the state has set up a task force to stop what he believes are illegal gambling operations, and the attorney general in the state believes the machines are legal in some counties in Alabama.

The opposite viewpoints have apparently created a rift between Attorney general Troy King and Governor Bob Riley. Back in December, Riley set up the Task Force on Illegal Gambling, but he did not appoint King to the task force.

King then dealt Riley a blow when he refused to allow private attorney’s for the task force to represent the state in court. The two are on completely different sides of the electronic gambling machine issue.

The disagreement over the laws has now reached the Alabama court system. Last week, a judge ruled that the state must give over 100 machines back to an establishment that was raided for illegal gambling.

The judge also guaranteed that the establishment could re-open without fear of government intervention. That prompted the governor to increase the amount of money that was being paid to private lawyers that represented the task force.

The additional financing of the private lawyers had many Alabamians puzzled and upset. The state is struggling with their budget, and people are unsure why valuable money is being spent on the attorney’s.

In addition to all of that, there is a proposal being discussed in legislature that would make all of the disagreements, as well as the governor’s task force, irrelevant. The Bill would regulate and tax licensed establishments that operated the electronic gambling machines.